Reunion
by Liquefy
Summary: [Spoilers] It's been several years since the final battle and Yukari has decided to visit Yakushima again to celebrate her graduation from college.


**Reunion**

The night sky was expectantly beautiful. The glistening stars and the radiant moon dazzled the observing figure below. "Pretty…" Yukari whispered to herself. The gentle sound of the waves gave off a sense of tranquility. She was glad she came back to Yakushima; she had been avoiding this place since the first time she came. The beach was empty, but it was better that way. Yukari could reminisce in peace. Peace that only existed because of _hi__m_.

The brunette gazed around with curious eyes, wondering what her life would have been like if he was still with her. She wrapped her arms around herself. How long had it been since she last felt his warmth? Even after all these years, her heart still yearned for him. She started to question her hope that he would one day return. Yukari closed her eyes and tried to remember his kind and gentle face.

"Didn't expect to find someone here already."

"W-Who?" she asked, startled. The brunette opened her eyes and turned around to see a figure of a man behind her. His face was covered by her shadow. Was he a patrolling guard? Yukari knew she should have checked for permission to come down here at night. "Uh… Sorry, am I not supposed to be here?" she nervously asked.

"I won't tell on you, if you don't tell on me," the mysterious man replied, "I just came down here to enjoy the night at the beach too."

Yukari giggled with relief, "Okay." She turned back around towards the ocean. He didn't seem like a bad person. "I won't hog the beach to myself. It is a beautiful night."

The young man walked next to Yukari, "It's so nostalgic… I haven't been back here in so long…" He bent down and felt the cool sand below him.

"Me too. Actually… this is only the second time I've came here."

"Really? What a coincidence, me too."

The two stood silent, watching the ocean waves crash along the beach. A strange sense of nostalgia swept over Yukari. She felt an unusual connection with the man beside her; a sense of longing. She knew this feeling; it was the same feeling she had for _him_, the one she loved. Yukari turned towards the stranger. "Excuse me, but who—"

Yukari gasped in surprise. The moonlight clearly shone over his face. A sudden wave of sadness swept over her. She could feel tears streaming down her face. …It was _him_. She blinked and took another look at the face in front of her. Were her eyes deceiving her? His right eye, tinted with a bluish gray, was covered like a curtain with his dark hair, while the left eye looked at her in worry. It looked all too familiar.

"Wh-What? Why are you crying? D-Did I do something wrong?" the man asked. He backed up, "W-Was I too close?"

Yukari quickly wiped away her tears. "No, no, it's nothing," she replied, "S-Sorry, you just look like someone I know…" This man wasn't _him_; that was impossible. _He_ was no longer alive after all. She took a deep breath and felt her body calm down, but her heart was still racing. The man's appearance brought out years of pent up emotions inside of her.

The man looked relieved, "Sorry to have startled you."

Yukari forced a smile, "Don't worry about it."

The stranger stood up and walked past the young woman, closer to the ocean. The stars playfully winked down at the two figures below, almost as if they were trying to signal a message. The male stood silent for a moment and asked, "Is he your boyfriend? …I mean the person I look like."

"Something like that..."

"He's a lucky guy. Where is he right now?"

Yukari was silent, looking for the right words to say, "He's… protecting us..." Her body fell to the sand below her. She no longer had the energy to stand. This was too much for her to handle. Why did she have to go through this pain again after all these years? Her heart ached with sadness and longing. She let out a small cry as wet tears began to stream down her face again.

The young man heard her crying and turned around. Yukari had buried her face into her arms. He sat down next to her and gently smiled, "I would give you a comforting hug right now, but I have a feeling you wouldn't like it."

"I… wish he was here…" Yukari whispered after a slight pause. She thought she had gotten over his death already, but it seemed that thought was wrong. The pain was still as sharp as that fateful day years ago. "S-Sorry, but I want to be alone right now."

The stranger was silent for a moment. "Okay," he replied, "I'll leave you alone." He pushed himself up and paused hesitantly, contemplating something, "Uh… before I go… here…" He reached into his pocket and delicately took out an object. He gently placed it on the sand next to the trembling woman. "Someone I loved very much gave this to me… I think it'll help you," the man said and began to make his way towards the forest.

Yukari wiped away her tears and picked up the object the man left for her. Her eyes widened. It was a toy figurine attached to a strap; a figurine that was only sold on the opening night of the Moonlight Bridge years ago. She frantically turned the figurine onto its back looking for a carving. There it was; the initial "YT" was etched into it. This was hers! This was the same figurine she had given to _him_ years ago.

The brunette leaped to her feet and wildly spun herself toward the forest. She searched desperately for the man; he was still there, almost as if he was expecting her call. "Wait! S-Stop!" she franticly yelled. The figure in the distance slowly turned around. Yukari continued to desperately yell, "W-Who did you get this from? Who are you!?"

The stranger stood there, staring at her. The silence was almost unbearable to Yukari. After a moment, the man gently smiled and simply replied, "I think you already know…" His eyes glimmered with newfound life.

His words almost knocked Yukari down. She stood stunned. "I-Is it really you…?" the brunette whispered to herself, but her heart already knew the answer. After all these years, he was finally back. It didn't matter how or why he came back, that was all irrelevant for now. All that mattered was that he was there; standing in front of her. Her hazel eyes watered. This time the tears that flowed down her face weren't out of sadness, but joy. Yukari cried out and ran towards the figure in the distance.


End file.
